Theft-proof lock-means for securing a motorcycle to the vehicle carrying deck of a motor coach

ABSTRACT

Clamp-means for securing a motorcycle to a platform by means of a padlock whose shackle is surrounded by case-hardened steel elements so shaped that the shackle cannot be reached by cutting sawing tools.

PATENTEUJULQ I ma SHEET 1 BF 2 INVENTOR. poeezr 5 052mm 4/ 4 TTORNE 7fPATENIED L 1 7 sum 2 or 2 INVENTOR, POBERT E. PALMER ATTORN THEFT-PROOFLOCK-MEANS FOR SECURING A MOTORCYCLE TO THE VEHICLE CARRYING DECK OF AMOTOR COACH Conducive to a better understanding of the invention it maybe well to point out that when traveling in a family motor-coach, uponreaching a destination, there is no means available for local travel asthere is with a trailer unit whose pulling automobile can bedisconnected, and used separately.

It has, therefore, become common practice to carry a motorcycle,supported on a rear platform, or deck, mounted on the motor-coach, forlocal travel.

In order to discourage theft by casual passers-by the motorcycle isusually secured to the motor-coach through chains and padlocks. However,this is no deterrent to professional thieves who use chain cutters andsaws to effect release of the so secured motorcycle, easily and quickly.

The primary object of the invention, therefore, is to provide padlocklocking-means for securing a motorcycle on the rear deck of a familymotor-coach in theftproof engagement therewith.

Another object is to provide'a structure of the type stated wherein theshackle of the padlock lockingmeans cannot be easily reached by boltcutters or saws.

These, and other objects of the invention will become apparent from areading of the following specification and claims together with theaccompanying drawing, wherein like parts are referred to and indicatedby like reference numerals, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the rear deck of a family motor-coachshowing a motorcycle secured thereon by the theft-proof lock-means thatis the subject of this invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the rear wheel area of a motorcycle frame,showing it engaged by the cooperating theft-proof lock-means;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the family motorcoach rear deck, withoutthe motorcycle, showing the co-operating theft-proof lock-means mountedthereon; one in partially assembled condition, and the other in fullylocked condition;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the theft proof lock-means, showing it engagedwith the motorcycle frame, in section;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the area of the tensionnut andsafety-spacer showing the padlock in its open condition;

FIG. 6 is a front view of the lock-means, partly in section, engagedwith the motorcycle frame; and,

FIG. 7 is an exploded view of the theft-proof lockmeans.

Referring more particularly to the drawing there is seen in FIGS. 1 and2 the Theft-proof Lock-Means that is the subject of the invention,broadly indicated by reference numeral 10, as it appears in lockedengagement with the rear wheel suspension frame 18 of a motorcycle 14,fitted into the wheel slot 13 of the rear deck 12 of a conventionalfamily motor-coach 11.

All of the steel structural elements described hereinafter arecasehardened to provide the maximum surface resistance to cutting tools.

As is seen most clearly in FIG. 7, the lock-means comprises 5interfitting parts in addition to the padlock 41.

The basic element is the bolt 20, which has a circular flat head 21. Thebolt 20 is fitted loosely through a hole in the deck 12 with the head 21bearing against the under-side of the deck, as seen in FIG. 3.

The upper end of the bolt is threaded, as at 22, and has a diametrichole 23 of a size and shape to receive 5 the shackle 42 of a padlock 41therethrough, as explained hereinafter.

Two sleeves 24 and 26 are slidably mounted on the bolt, one above theother. The sleeves have upwardly and downwardly directed arms and 27,respectfully.

Reference numeral 30 indicates a cylindrical tensionnut whose diameteris substantially greater than the width of the shackle 42 of the padlock41.

The tension-nut 30 has a central bore 31 adapted to threadedly engagethe threaded upper end 22 of the bolt 20.

Reference numeral 32 indicates a vertical, diametric, slot cut in theupper portion of the tension-nut, of a width to slidably receive theshackle 42 of the padlock 41, as seen most clearly in FIGS. 4 and 6.

The tension-nut 30 also has a shallow diametric groove 33 cut in theupper surface thereof at the slot 32, as seen in FIG. 7.

An elongated safety-spacer 34 has an undcrsurface 40 adapted to restupon the upper surface of the tension-nut 30 in interfitting engagementwith the tensionnut groove 33, as seen in FIGS. 4 and 5.

The safety-spacer 34 has parallel, upstanding, side walls 35 and 36spaced a distance to snuggly receive the body of the padlock 41therebetween. The overall length of the safety-spacer is greater thanthat of the padlock 41, as seen most clearly in FIG. 6.

The bottom wall 37 of the safety-spacer has an open slot 38 and 39, ateither end thereof, as seen most clearly in FIG. 5.

To secure a motorcycle 10 in place on a motor coach deck 12, asillustrated in FIG. 1, the following procedure is followed:

Two lock-means 10 are mounted on opposite sides of the deck wheel slot13, as seen in FIG. 3.

The motorcycle 14 is positioned on the deck 12 with its wheels 16 and I7fitted in the deck slot 13, as seen most clearly in FIG. 1, with the twolock-means 10 adjacent the rear wheel suspension frame 18, immediatelyforward of the axle of the rear wheel 17.

The bolt member 20 is tilted toward the motorcycle frame 18; the sleeves24 and 26 are positioned, one above the other, on the bolt 20 with thelower bracket arm 25 fitted against the underside of the frame 18, andthe upper bracket arm 27 fitted on top of the frame 18, as is seen mostclearly in FIG. 4.

The tension nut 30 is then screwed down on the bolt 20, against thesleeve 26 to force the sleeve bracket arms 25 and 27 into snugengagement with the motorcycle frame 18, as seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4.

At this point the tension-nut must be further tightened, or backed off,in order that its diametric slot 32 is in line with the bolt hole 23, asseen most clearly in FIG. 6.

The padlock 41 is then opened and its shackle 42 aligned with the bolthole 32, and its free end inserted through the bolt hole 23.

The safety-spacer 34 is then aligned with the so positioned shackle andone slot 39 is slipped against the end of the shackle attached to thepadlock body 41. The safety-spacer is then placed flat with itsundersurface resting upon the upper surface of the tension nut 30 ininterfitting engagement with the tension-nut groove 33. When this isdone the free end of the shackle 42 will be positioned upright in thesecond safety-spacer slot 38, as seen most clearly in FIG. 5.

The padlock 41 is then swung around into alignment with the free end ofthe so held shackle 42, and pushed downward, between the safety-spacerside walls 35 and 36, into locked engagement with its shackle 42, asseen most clearly in FIGS. 2 and 4 The motorcycle frame is thus anchoredto the motorcoach deck 12 by the two co-operating theft-proof lock-means10, as seen in FIG. 2.

The so locked tension-nut 30 cannot be rotated, thereby preventing theseparation of the bracket arms 25 and 27, which firmly grip themotorcycle frame 18.

As stated hereinbefore all of the parts of the unit are made ofcasehardened steel and therefore are extremely resistant to cuttingtools. The lock-means 10 does not employ any chains, only a padlock 41.

The preferred type of padlock 41, illustrated, is the type whose body isfabricated from a plurality of stacked casehardened steel plates ofrectangular shape. Such a padlock body is also highly resistant tocutting tools.

A study of FIGS. 5 and 6 will show that the width of the shackle 42 isless than the diameter of the tensionnut 30 and the length of thesafety-spacer 34; thus, a saw blade cannot touch the shackle 42 untilthe casehardened tension-nut and safety-spacer have been cut into.

Again, by referring to FIG. 4, it will be evident that when the padlockbody 41 is in locked engagement with its shackle 42 its sides are nestedbetween the upstanding walls 35 and 36 of the safety-spacer 34, thusfurther protecting the shackle 42 from contact with any cutting tool.

To legally release the motorcycle 14, the padlock is unlocked by meansof its key. The body 41 can then be lifted clear of the safety-spacerside walls 35 and 36, and swung away from the free end of the shackle 42to the position shown in FIG. 5.

The safety-spacer 34 is then lifted from the tensionnut groove 33,leaving the padlock shackle 42 free to be withdrawn from the bolt bore23.

The tension-nut 30 is then unscrewed, freeing the sleeve bracket arms 27and 25 for disengagement from the motorcycle frame 18.

Upon disengagement, the motorcycle 14 can be rolled along the slot 13,and off the deck 12.

It will now be clear that there is provided a device which accomplishesthe objectives heretofore set forth.

While theinvention has been disclosed in its preferred form, it is to beunderstood that the specific embodiment thereof, as described andillustrated herein, is not to be considered in a limited sense, as theremay be other forms or modifications of the invention which should alsobe construed to come within the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

I. In combination with a motorcycle mounted on the deck ofa familymotor-coach, a theft-proof lock-means fabricated from casehardenedsteel, comprising:

a. an upstanding bolt loosely mounted through a hole in the motor-coachdeck proximate the rear wheel suspension frame of the motorcycle;

b. said bolt having a circular head at its bottom end in contact withthe underside of the motor-coach deck, a threaded body, and a diametricbore proximate its upper end of a size and shape to receive the shackleof a padlock therethrough;

c. a padlock having its shackle pivotally connected to the body thereof;

. two sleeves slidably mounted on the bolt body, one

above the other, below the diametric bore;

e. the lower sleeve having a lateral extending, up-

wardly directed, bracket arm engagable with the lower portion of therear wheel suspension frame;

f. the upper sleeve having a laterally extending, downwardly directed,bracket arm engagable with the upper portion of the rear wheelsuspension frame;

g. a cylindrical tension-nut threadedly mounted at the upper end of thebolt, above the upper sleeve, having a diameter substantially greaterthan the width of the shackle of the aforesaid padlock, a verticaldiametric slot cut in its upper half, of a width to receive the shackletherein, the tensionnut also having a shallow, diametric, groove in itsupper surface aligned with the slot, of a width greater than the slot;

h. an elongated safety-spacer adapted to interfit the tension-nutgroove, of substantially greater length than the padlock, havingparallel up-standing side walls spaced a distance apart to snugglyreceive the body of the padlock therebetween, and a bottom wall havingaligned and oppositely extending openended slots, adapted to receive theshackle of the padlock nested between the side walls, therethrough;

i. the sleeve bracket arms being in theft-proof locked engagement withthe motorcycle rear wheel suspension frame when the tension-nut bearsagainst the upper sleeve with its vertical slot aligned with the boltbore, with the safety-spacer seated in the tension-nut groove, with thebody of the padlock fitted between the safety-spacer side walls in itslocked condition, with its shackle fitted through the bolt bore andnested within the tension-nut and safety-spacer slots.

1. In combination with a motorcycle mounted on the deck of a familymotor-coach, a theft-proof lock-means fabricated from casehardenedsteel, comprising: a. an upstanding bolt loosely mounted through a holein the motor-coach deck proximate the rear wheel suspension frame of themotorcycle; b. said bolt having a circular head at its bottom end incontact with the underside of the motor-coach deck, a threaded body, anda diametric bore proximate its upper end of a size and shape to receivethe shackle of a padlock therethrough; c. a padlock having its shacklepivotally connected to the body thereof; d. two sleeves slidably mountedon the bolt body, one above the other, below the diametric bore; e. thelower sleeve having a lateral extending, upwardly directed, bracket armengagable with the lower portion of the rear wheel suspension frame; f.the upper sleeve having a laterally extending, downwardly directed,bracket arm engagable with the upper portion of the rear wheelsuspension frame; g. a cylindrical tension-nut threadedly mounted at theupper end of the bolt, above the upper sleeve, having a diametersubstantially greater than the width of the shackle of the aforesaidpadlock, a vertical diametric slot cut in its upper half, of a width toreceive the shackle therein, the tensionnut also having a shallow,diametric, groove in its upper surface aligned with the slot, of a widthgreater than the slot; h. an elongated safety-spacer adapted to interfitthe tensionnut groove, of substantially greater length than the padlock,having parallel up-standing side walls spaced a distance apart tosnuggly receive the body of the padlock therebetween, and a bottom wallhaving aligned and oppositely extending open-ended slots, adapted toreceive the shackle of the padlock nested between the side walls,therethrough; i. the sleeve bracket arms being in theft-proof lockedengaGement with the motorcycle rear wheel suspension frame when thetension-nut bears against the upper sleeve with its vertical slotaligned with the bolt bore, with the safetyspacer seated in thetension-nut groove, with the body of the padlock fitted between thesafety-spacer side walls in its locked condition, with its shacklefitted through the bolt bore and nested within the tension-nut andsafety-spacer slots.